ShelterBox Operations Philippines
ShelterBox Operations Philippines is a non-government organisation (NGO) that aims to provide emergency shelter for families affected by disasters in the Philippines.
Warehousing support from Sunpride and Big Blue
Following Super Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, we formed a strategic partnership with Sunpride and Big Blue who continue to provide warehousing and logistical support across the Philippines.
Their support has been crucial in setting up ShelterBox Operations Philippines and allows us to reach families who have lost everything to disaster as quickly as possible.
Big Blue logistics Corporation have provided ShelterBox with free warehousing since Typhoon Haiyan.
Through introductions through our partnership with Rotary International, we were able to gain their ongoing support.
On top of this, they also provide us with logistical support, ensuring that our aid reaches vulnerable families that need it the most.
“With the devastation that Haiyan caused, it was more of an obligation. There is a feeling of as much as possible we should help. Volunteerism is a calling.”
– Raymund Belarmino, Operations Manager, Big Blue
Sunpride Foods Inc is a food production company who we have been working with since Typhoon Haiyan. They store many of our shelter and non-food items in their warehouses.
Drawn to us by a need to help their fellow Filipinos, the staff of Sunpride are engaged with the work that we do.
“Helping others, or to voluntarily help is innate for us Filipinos especially in times of disaster. I am happy with what I am doing with ShelterBox and be able to support its emergency response.”
– Clarice de Guzman, Warehouse Department Head, Sunpride
Shelter aid for 10,000 families have passed through these warehouses, showing the key nature of the partnerships.
With a storage capacity to immediately help 3,000 when the need arises, we are incredibly grateful for the work they are doing with us. Dave Ray, our Horizons Lead, says:
“Both Sunpride and Big Blue Corporations have been instrumental in the set up and development of ShelterBox Operations Philippines (SBOP). The support they have shown to ShelterBox over the past 5 years, in the provision of warehousing, logistical services and above all advice and guidance about supply chain development for SBOP have been crucial to the operational successes of responses.
ShelterBox sees both companies as true partners in emergency response and we hope that this relationship will continue to grow and develop in the future”.
Interview With Stephen Castillo, Owner of Big Blue
How did you first hear about ShelterBox?
In 2013, ShelterBox volunteers walked in at a Rotary Club regular meeting, visited the mother club in the district. They were in the country to do emergency response. He was explaining what support ShelterBox needs.
Why did you decide to support ShelterBox?
There are incidents in the life of a person that just comes, unplanned, but will change the life of that person completely, and the lives of the people around that particular person.
The volunteers came at the time when I, as a Filipino, felt I wanted to do something for the survivors of the successive disasters.
First was the earthquake in Bohol then, the Haiyan super typhoon. There was instantly an unexplainable connection between what ShelterBox is doing versus what I wanted to do personally.
It was more of personal life changing desire first in response to the disastrous events that happened. There was alignment of stars.
How do you feel about enabling ShelterBox to provide emergency shelter to the most vulnerable families left without a place to call home?
We are the BTS…behind the scenes, and we love to be the BTS for ShelterBox’s emergency response for it to be able to help the people affected by the disasters. We are expecting though that with ShelterBox Operations Philippines, the response will be more efficient.
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